It is well known to wind a wire (i.e., a lead) into a pair of slots in a core of an armature using at least one rotatable wire feeding mechanism (i.e., a flyer). Such wire feeding mechanisms require the use of a deflecting mechanism (i.e., a chuck) adapted to guide the wire into the slots of the armature core.
There are basically two types of chucks. One type actually grips the armature core. The other type is positioned adjacent to the armature core without actually touching it.
Generally, both types of chucks are symmetrical about horizontal and vertical planes which include the axis of rotation of the flyer or flyers. More particularly, each chuck includes at least two of the following three types of deflectors or wings.
The first type of deflector is a contoured longitudinal deflector which is arranged parallel to a shaft of the armature and positioned alongside a slot in the armature core. This first type of deflector has a shape selected so as to guide the wire toward the adjacent slot without allowing the wire to touch the edge of the slot, thereby preventing damage to the insulation on the wire during the winding operation. Thus, in addition to functioning as a guide, this type of deflector also functions as a shield to prevent the wire from rubbing against the edge of the slot into which the wire is being wound.
The second type of deflector is a contoured frontal deflector which is positioned adjacent to one end of the armature core. This type of deflector has a shape selected so as to guide the wire as it enters or exits the slot, thereby properly shaping the coil near the shaft of the armature.
The third type of deflector is a straight longitudinal deflector which is similar to the first type of deflector in that it also functions to guide the wire and to prevent the wire from rubbing against the edge of the slot in the armature core. This third type of deflector is usually employed in combination with a shaped frontal type of deflector.
Nonadjustable chucks are known. These nonadjustable chucks are disadvantageous because they are specifically designed for use in connection with armatures having cores of a particular length. Thus, if a winding operation is to be performed on an armature having a different length core, the chuck must be removed and replaced with another chuck. Such a replacement operation is both time consuming and costly.
Chucks which can be adjusted to accommodate armatures having cores of various different lengths are also known (see, for instance, Australian Pat. No. 136,920 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,121,798 and 1,353,269). Because the adjustable chucks disclosed in Australian Pat. No. 136,920 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,121,798 do not provide a continuous guiding surface for the wire being wound, they are not especially suited for use in connection with high speed winding machines. Although U.S. Pat. No. 1,353,269 discloses an adjustable chuck which forms a continuous wire guide, adjustment of the chuck to accommodate armatures having various different lengths requires adjusting two longitudinal deflectors in order to achieve the required adjustment of the two frontal deflectors. Because the frontal deflectors are not adjustable independently of the longitudinal deflectors, the adjustment of the chuck to accommodate armatures having various different lengths is relatively complicated and time consuming.